Wandering Wire Pass

Wire Pass is the place that made us fall in love with Page. Friends brought us here 5 years ago, and I was amazed with every twist and turn. After the busy-ness of the beautiful Antelope Canyon, this was a welcome change. Wire Pass is a ways from Page and down a dirt road (the same trailhead as the Wave, which we were not able to get permits for), but well worth the trip. As opposed to the $40 ticket to Antelope Canyon, Buckskin Gulch via Wire Pass cost $6 per adult, kids 12 and under free. While the walls of the canyon are not as smooth as Antelope Canyon, the seclusion makes it just as beautiful. You have to hike in the wash for about a mile and a half before you reach the canyon, so the hike can be sunny and hot initially.

Once you reach the canyon, there is not a better way to escape the heat of the day.

We all looked up in wonder at the growing canyon walls.

The paintings on the walls were a reminder of the rich history in the area.

The kids loved catching and releasing all the multi-colored lizards too.

It was so fun to introduce this magical place to more family members Kimmy, Ben, and Jill.

It’s amazing to look up and see all the logs lodged up above from prior floods. After being caught in a flash flood years ago, we exercise extreme caution with weather when entering canyons like Wire Pass. Even a hint of rain far away can bring flooding to slot canyons like this.

We were disappointed when we reached a muddy clay area this year that was impassable. We watched as several tried to navigate through it, but the mud was more than knee deep to cross. Yuck!

We exited the pass and looked for the half gallon of water we had stashed near the entrance, only to find the container chewed up by a thirsty critter. Thankfully, we still had plenty of water! Dehydration is no joke in the desert!